Bird of a Different Feather: Mike Macdonald Takes Over the Seahawks
NFL Offseason Roster Review #16
Former head coach Pete Carroll had some interesting comments regarding the “non-football people” involved in the decision to move on from him, but if that is the case, it’s strange that general manager John Schneider is sticking around for another coach.
It doesn’t take a “football person” to understand that trading a 2nd-round pick for the expiring contract of defensive tackle Leonard Williams in a season where you miss the playoffs is an unmitigated disaster. From a basic asset management standpoint, it is clear that Seattle’s perception of where the roster was did not line up with reality.
The question is how much they change; if the Seahawks had hired a new GM to go with their new head coach (Mike Macdonald), a full reset might be on the table, but Seattle has not operated like a team in rebuild mode under Schneider in recent years. With the Seahawks more or less at the cap limit for 2024 ($800,000 over per Spotrac) and short a second-rounder (though up a third), the organization has limited options to reshape the team if they want to keep this core together.
So, which direction do they go? Is it a totally new Seattle team with Macdonald at the helm, or will we see Schneider carry over some aspects of the “Legion of Boom” era?
It could take time to play out, but we will learn a lot when they make a decision on their quarterback.
The Offense: Sticking With the Signal-Caller?
There are questions to address on the interior offensive line - more on that to follow - but the biggest question that the Seahawks have to ask themselves is if they want to stick with Geno Smith at quarterback.
That question is complicated by the fact that Macdonald is in the process of hiring an offensive coordinator, but once that individual is in place, they will have to reach a determination on whether Smith’s style fits the type of team they want to build. If they like him, he’s locked in at a reasonable price for two more seasons, but his dead cap hit of roughly $20 million (per Spotrac) does not preclude releasing him.
As far as mid-tier quarterbacks go, I’m high on Smith, but he’s a specific flavor. The positive is that Smith isn’t afraid to let it rip - as opposed to others who are inclined to take the safe choice - but that opens him up to turnovers, and Seattle’s offense has also operated in fits and bursts at times during the past two seasons.
That’s also not completely on Smith, which brings up the question of what the best version of Smith would look like. The player that immediately comes to mind is Detroit’s Jared Goff; both players are pocket passers with above-average NFL arm talent and the willingness to push the ball down the field. In addition, while both can pick up a first down if the grass is there, they don’t necessarily add an extra dimension when it comes to extending plays.
When you push that comparison a bit further and envision Smith in the types of under-center systems that Sean McVay and Ben Johnson have built for Goff when he was at his best in Los Angeles and Detroit, it makes a lot of sense. Smith has enough arm strength to push some of the delayed play-action shots Goff has taken advantage of, and he’s certainly game for throwing the timed-up in-breakers that Goff has thrived on in Johnson’s offense of late.
There are a lot of moving parts here, but with a running back room of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet to go with the wide receiver trio of D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle is in good shape from a skill position standpoint. The offensive line is a different story; the tackle tandem of Charles Cross and Abe Lucas returns for the third season of their respective rookie deals, and Anthony Bradford is back after playing significant snaps at a guard spot, but Damien Lewis, Evan Brown, and Phil Haynes are all scheduled to hit free agency, leaving a lot of snaps to fill on the interior.
Olu Oluwatimi could ease that transition if he takes over the center position in his second season, but as much as some draft analysts liked him, that’s far from a sure thing for a former 5th-round pick. That said, interior offensive line is not a premium position, so Seattle could look to upgrade this spot with their pair of 3rd-round picks.
The Defense: Changing of the Guard?
Whether Tariq Woolen can recapture his rookie form will be a question until September, but if he does, Macdonald would have three cornerstones to start his defense: Woolen, fellow cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was elite in his rookie season, and edge rusher Boye Mafe, who posted nine sacks in his second season.
The question is what Schneider and Macdonald will do with the rest of the defense. Defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones is locked in at a hefty price tag, but pieces such as linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks, as well as safety Jamal Adams, have a less certain future.
Wagner may be out with a new defensive coordinator in the picture, but Brooks is still one of Schneider’s first-round picks, whether or not Carroll was in the building, so he might want to keep him around. The Adams question is more complicated; he is signed for two more years at $25 million and would count as a $20 million dead cap hit, but Seattle’s defense was also significantly worse when he was on the field last season. Given his coverage deficiencies, Adams would need to move to a role at linebacker or in the slot - somewhere on the second level - to return to his days as an impact player, and that is one hefty price tag for anyone playing in those spots.
The dead cap hits would be unfortunate, but that’s part of a coaching change; cutting Adams would not save Seattle much money, but it may be addition by subtraction if Macdonald does not see a clear role for Adams in his scheme.
At Least They Have Options
Similar to the Broncos and Saints, the Seahawks may have maxed out this version of their current team, but they are far from being in dire straits. They have several potential pivots - restructuring the offense around the quarterback, for one - or they could go for a total reset.
Regardless of which direction they take, Seattle has a good blend of talented players on veteran and rookie contracts, along with a quarterback signed to a reasonable contract given his recent standard. It’s not teed up for an immediate Super Bowl run - and the NFC West is set to be as tough as ever - but at least the Seahawks aren’t trying to salvage a trainwreck on the salary cap or draft resource side. That gives them options, and when you’ve got options in the NFL, anything can happen.
Early 2024 Projection: 4th in NFC West